Deciduous fruit Production areas
The main deciduous fruit producing areas of South Africa are situated in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, mainly in areas where warm, dry summers and cold winters prevail. The area under production during the 2003 season is estimated at 77 428 ha.
Production
Although some producers grow fruit both for canning and fresh consumption, it is estimated that there are about 2 455 producers of fruit for fresh consumption, 1 101 producers of canned and about 1 104 producers of dried fruit in South Africa. The production of deciduous fruit during 2003/04 is estimated at 1 705 140 tons, which is 3 % higher than in 2002/03.
The production per fruit type over the past five years compares as follows:
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Tons
Apples 571 979 561 410 590 632 681 694 710 766
Pears 297 809 255 627 303 624 274 471 297 795
Table grapes 203 991 210 802 272 408 282 933 305 062
Peaches and nectarines 216 322 168 312 211 984 320 138 227 036
Apricots 52 112 54 435 49 395 42 189 105 106
Plums 32 911 38 235 38 730 57 557 59 375
Total 1 375 124 1 288 821 1 466 773 1 658 982 1 705 140
Production of sugar for local and export markets 1999/2000–2003/04
500 000 700 000 900 000 1 100 000 1 300 000 1 500 000
1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 Year
Tons
Local Export
Marketing
The exporting of deciduous fruit is a major earner of foreign exchange for South Africa. During the 2003/04 season, about 40 % of deciduous fruit produced was exported and approximately 72 % of the gross value from deciduous fruit came from foreign exchange export earnings. Total exports amounted to 689 546 tons during 2003/04. This represents an increase of 10 % as against exports during 2002/03.
During 2003/04, deciduous fruit contributed approximately 25 % to the gross value of horticultural products.
During the 2003/04 season, approximately 392 498 tons of deciduous fruit were sold locally on the major fresh produce markets, other markets and directly to retailers, which represents a 2 % increase compared with 385 240 tons sold during the 2002/03 season.
The following graph indicates deciduous fruit export destinations during 2003:
The average prices of deciduous fruit on the major fresh produce markets during the period 1999/2000 to 2003/04 are as follows:
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
R/ton
Apples 1 801 1 903 2 197 2 409 2 481
Pears 1 329 1 499 1 712 1 996 2 301
Table grapes 2 781 3 151 3 394 3 609 3 982
Peaches and nectarines 2 644 2 732 2 864 3 428 4 767
Apricots 1 973 2 150 2 177 2 804 3 203
Plums 2 072 2 154 2 368 2 308 2 612
Intake of deciduous fruit for processing
During 2003/04, about 37 % of deciduous fruit produced was taken in for processing-a decrease of 4 % com- pared to 2002/03. The following graph indicates deciduous fruit taken in for processing during 2003/04:
Deciduous fruit export destinations: 2003
Europe 72 % Other 12 %
MiddleEast 4% Far East 4 %
Africa8 %
Deciduous fruit taken in for processing: 2003/04
Apples 36 %
Apricots 16 % Peaches 29 %
Pears 18 %
Grapes and plums 1 %
Over the past five years, most of the deciduous fruit taken in for processing was canned, with the exception of apples, which are mostly used for juice. However, recently a significant volume of pears was also used for juice. During 2003/04, approximately 81 % of apples taken in for processing was used for juice and 19 % for canning, while 54 % of pears was used for juice and 46 % was canned. Producers received an average price of R356 and R329 per ton, respectively, for apples used for canning and for juice. In the case of pears used for canning and for juices, producers received an average of R872 and R193 per ton, respectively, represent- ing significant increases compared to the 2002/03 season.
Domestic consumption
Local per capita consumption and total consumption of deciduous fruit over the past five years are as follows:
Season 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Consumption (kg/year) 17,60 18,34 15,07 16,27 18,48
Consumption ('000 tons) 758,00 801,00 671,00 740.00 855,00
Prospects
The dry conditions and deteriorating water situation in the Western Cape and other fruit producing regions will have a negative impact on the 2004/05 crop. The strong Rand remains a problem for all export industries.
The financial position of fruit farmers is under pressure as a result of high input costs.
Dried fruit Production areas
Dried fruit is produced mainly in the western and southern parts of the Western Cape Province and the Lower and Upper Orange River areas in the Northern Cape Province. Tree fruit, in contrast with vine fruit, is dried mainly in the Western Cape.
The most important dried fruit products are Thompson seedless raisins, golden sultanas, unbleached sul- tanas, hanepoot raisins, prunes, peaches and apricots. The quantities of dried fruit produced vary per fruit type, depending on the factors that influence production and the opportunities offered by alternative market- ing channels. Apricots are mainly produced in the Little Karoo and prunes are grown almost exclusively in the Tulbagh district in the Western Cape. Most raisins are produced in the area along the Lower Orange River and currants mainly come from the Vredendal district.
Production
In 2004, production of dried vine fruit increased by 7,6 %, from 36 727 tons in 2003 to 39 516 tons and that of dried tree fruit by 1,8 %, from 5 697 tons in 2003 to 5 800 tons. The increase occurred in the production of Thompson seedless raisins (19,0 %) to 24 814 tons. The shift may be attributed to the fact that the seedless- grape crop can be utilised for different markets and for various types of raisins.
During the past 5 years, the production trends of dried fruit types were as follows:
Fruit type 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Tons Sultana
Unbleached 4 709 9 158 2 591 6 507 5 716
Golden 4 028 7 490 5 656 7 473 7 557
Thompson seedless raisins 27 622 16 552 32 092 20 858 24 814
Currants 1 463 1 420 1 837 1 774 1 300
Raisins 320 223 179 115 129
Total vine fruit 38 142 34 843 42 355 36 727 39 516
Prunes 1 300 1 100 1 800 2 200 2 484
Apricots 1 022 1 612 1 423 1 576 1 728
Apples 200 110 80 89 86
Peaches 1 214 1 000 1 049 1 120 959
Pears 1 180 480 596 712 543
Total tree fruit 4 916 4 302 4 948 5 697 5 800
Grand total 43 058 39 145 47 303 42 424 45 316
Marketing
The Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) is responsible for the inspection of export dried fruit to ensure adherence to quality requirements. Exporters are required to obtain the PPECB certificate. More than 50 % of production is exported.
The following charts depict dried fruit export destinations during 2003 and exports from 1999–2003:
Dried fruit export destinations: 2003
EU and the rest of Europe 59 %
Africa and Middle East 3%
Canada and North and South America
27 %
Far East 5 %
Australia and New Zealand 6 %
Dried fruit exports 1999–2003
0 10 000 20 000 30 000 40 000
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Tons
40 50 60 70 80 90
%
Exports Exports as % of production
Viticulture
South Africa is the eighth-largest wine producer, namely 2,5 % of the world's wine. The area under vines is estimated at 110 200 ha.
The wine industry is labour intensive and provides a living to approximately 345 000 farmworkers, including dependants, and 3 500 wine cellar personnel. The number of primary wine producers in South Africa is esti- mated at 4 435. Wine is mainly produced in the Western Cape Province and along parts of the Orange River in the Northern Cape Province.
Production
Wine production from 1999 to 2003 is as follows:
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Gross million litres
Wine production 914 837 747 834 956
During 2003, the production of wine increased by 14,6 %. During the past six years, a shift from white to red wines took place, causing a dramatic increase in the production of red varieties, namely Shiraz, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage.
The variety distribution for 2003 is depicted in the following graph:
Wine production during 2003 per variety Cabernet
Sauvignon 5,4 %
Chardonnay 5,3 %
Sauvignon Blanc 3,8 % Pinotage
5,4 %
Colombar 20,5 % Other
32,2 %
Chenin Blanc 22,9 %
Hanepoot 4,5 %
Prices
Producer prices of wine products for the past five years are as follows:
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
c/l@ 10 % A/V Average price of
Good wine 214,7 212,0 229,2 299,4 378,1
Rebate wine 127,4 119,6 115,2 130,2 186,6
Distilling wine 73,1 64,9 63,2 73,5 103,1
Income of producers
The production of wine grapes and income of producers from 1999 to 2003, are as follows:
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Production ('000 tons) 1 174 1 098 977 1 079 1 234
Income (R million) 1 436 1 460 1 596 2 088 2 597
The producers' income increased by 24,4 % during 2003, owing to an increase in income from exports.
Exports
Total quantities of wine exported during the past five years are as follows:
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
'000 litres
Natural wine 127 637 139 800 175 986 215 759 237 332
Fortified wine 695 472 548 523 531
Sparkling wine 810 685 779 1 401 1 638
Total 129 141 140 957 177 313 217 683 239 501
During 2003, 33,6 % of the total wine produced, was exported.
The following graph depicts wine export destinations during 2003:
Wine (bottled and bulk) export destinations: 2003
Iceland, Canada and North and South America
4,9 %
Far East and
Australia 5,9 % Africa and Middle East 1,3 %
EU and the rest of Europe 87,9 %
Consumption
The per capita consumption of wine products on the domestic market from 1999 to 2003 is as follows:
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
lper capita
Natural wine 8,25 8,21 8,20 8,04 7,00
Fortified wine 0,72 0,66 0,66 0,70 0,75
Sparkling wine 0,23 0,13 0,15 0,17 0,17
Total 9,19 9,00 9,01 8,91 7,92
Prospects
Indications are that wine production for 2004 will be around 947 million litres. The wine grape harvest is expected to be almost 1 % lower than the previous season because of drought conditions in the Western Cape. The KWV episode has tarnished our reputation and affected our position in the world market.
Subtropical fruit
In terms of the value of production, the subtropical fruit industry earned R1 298 million in 2002/03, a decrease of 0,8 % on the 2002/03 figure of R1 308 million.
Production and production areas
The cultivation of some types of subtropical fruit is only possible in certain specific areas of the country because of particular climatic requirements. Subtropical fruit requires warmer conditions and is sensitive to large fluctuations in temperature and to frost. The main production areas in South Africa are parts of the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Granadillas and guavas are also grown in the Western Cape, while pineapples are grown in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
The total production areas of avocados, bananas, mangoes, litchis and pineapples during 2003/04 are esti- mated at approximately 12 000, 11 552, 7 748, 3 000 and 13 581 ha, respectively. Production of subtropical fruit from 1999/2000 to 2003/04 is as follows:
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
'000 tons
Avocados 68,9 69,0 66,5 77,2 62,0
Bananas 373,2 372,2 392,5 352,0 288,7
Pineapples 160,2 159,9 167,7 176,5 160,8
Mangoes 41,0 44,6 62,2 68,3 50,6
Papayas 23,6 19,5 22,2 15,4 12,7
Granadillas 0,9 1,1 1,4 1,5 1,7
Litchis 5,0 6,7 4,9 7,1 6,5
Guavas 21,9 25,2 26,6 22,9 17,6
The total production of subtropical fruit decreased by 16,6 %, from 721 000 tons in 2002/03 to 601 000 tons in 2003/04, mainly because of drought. The production of mangoes and avocados decreased by 25,9 and 19,7 %, respectively. Hot, dry conditions with abnormally low minimum temperatures during fruit set, as well as frost in some areas, resulted in the smaller crops. Bananas, pineapples and avocados contributed 48,1, 26,8 and 10,3 % respectively to the total production of subtropical fruit during 2003/04.
Domestic sales
The largest contributors to sales of subtropical fruit on the major fresh produce markets are bananas (70,3 %), pineapples (8,7 %), avocados and mangoes (7,2 % each) and papayas (3,7 %). Except for mangoes, grana- dillas and litchis, the quantities of all subtropical fruit types sold on the major fresh produce markets decreased during 2003/04.
Total quantities of subtropical fruit sold on the major fresh produce markets (year ending 30 June) are as fol- lows:
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Tons
Avocados 19 536 25 519 22 037 21 316 17 016
Bananas 227 505 234 042 249 117 210 099 165 411
Pineapples 25 981 23 677 23 861 21 530 20 583
Mangoes 20 166 17 336 24 504 16 562 17 027
Papayas 16 774 13 493 15 368 11 248 8 745
Granadillas 721 768 1 006 1 093 1 258
Litchis 2 312 3 548 1 849 2 659 2 778
Guavas 3 240 2 937 3 076 2 854 2 607
Total 316 235 321 320 340 818 287 361 235 425
Intake for processing (year ending 30 June)
Pineapples account for approximately 75,5 % of the total intake of subtropical fruit for processing. The other two main contributors to the processing industry are mangoes and guavas. While the quantities of most sub- tropical fruit for processing decreased during 2003/04, the intake of papayas increased significantly.
Production of and producers' income from subtropical fruit 1999/2000–2003/04
400 500 600 700 800
1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Year
'000tons
600 700 800 900 1 000 1 100 1 200 1 300 1 400
R'million
Production Producers' income
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 Tons
Avocados 2 726 1 730 2 539 4 753 3 391
Bananas 865 887 1 715 1 859 1 349
Pineapples 125 619 127 748 136 473 148 476 133 973
Mangoes 6 480 10 819 15 451 28 115 22 061
Papayas 982 1 604 1 255 606 1 211
Granadillas 35 184 176 172 173
Litchis 24 50 473 1 652 839
Guavas 18 074 21 699 22 993 19 498 14 556
Total 154 805 164 721 181 075 205 131 177 553
Exports
From 2002/03 to 2003/04, total exports of subtropical fruit decreased by 28,3 % to 53 501 tons, while export prices for all subtropical fruit increased by 13,7 %.
Quantity and average price of subtropical fruit exported 1999/2000–2003/04
30 000 40 000 50 000 60 000 70 000 80 000
1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Year
Tons
2 500 3 000 3 500 4 000 4 500 5 000
R/ton
Exports Average export price
The main subtropical fruit type exported is avocados. During 2003/04, exports of avocados contributed 72,7 % to the total value of exports of subtropical fruit. Other subtropical fruit types that were exported are mangoes, pineapples and papayas.
Marketing and research
The Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops (ITSC) of the ARC is responsible for research on all aspects of the cultivation of tropical and subtropical crops countrywide. Some of the organisations involved in the mar- keting of specific subtropical crops are the Banana Growers' Association, Avocado Growers' Association, Mango Growers' Association and Litchi Growers' Association.
Prospects
Expectations are that the production of most subtropical fruit types will increase slightly during the 2004/05 season.
Citrus fruit Areas of production
Citrus fruit is grown in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces, where subtropical conditions (warm to hot summers and mild winters) prevail. A survey done dur- ing 2000 indicated that there were about 3 500 citrus fruit growers who collectively managed more than 16 million trees. Orchard sizes varied from small (less than 100 trees) to estates with up to half a million trees.
Production
Oranges constitute about 68 % of the total production of citrus fruit in South Africa. On average, citrus fruit production increased by 3,7 % per annum from 1999/2000 to 2003/04. Citrus fruit production for the past five seasons (1 February to 31 January) is as follows:
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Tons
Oranges 1 156 359 1 117 964 1 262 527 1 266 634 1 341 611
Grapefruit 212 181 267 669 233 312 268 281 256 187
Lemons 101 669 120 121 169 789 190 118 197 259
Naartjes 136 901 108 432 147 999 109 783 112 174
Soft citrus 126 267 98 492 72 189 63 441 71 240
Total 1 733 377 1 712 678 1 885 816 1 898 257 1 978 471
Exports
South Africa is one of the top five exporters of citrus fruit in the world. Exports increased from 959 974 tons during 1999/2000 to 1 331 822 tons during 2003/04. The latter figure represents an increase of 19,9 % com- pared to 2002/03. During 2003/04, about 937 619 tons of oranges, almost 70 % of the crop, were exported.
Citrus exports and average export prices 1999/2000–2003/04
0 200 400 600 800 1 000 1 200 1 400
1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Year
'000tons
1 200 1 400 1 600 1 800 2 000 2 200 2 400 2 600
R/t
Exports Average export price
Domestic sales
During 2003/04, citrus fruit sales on the major fresh produce markets in South Africa remained more or less at the same level as the previous year and comprised only about 8,4 % of total citrus fruit production.
Approximately 14,5 % of the naartje production, 8,6 % of the orange production and 9,6 % of the production of soft peelers were sold on the major fresh produce markets. With the exception of naartjes, there has been a noticeable increase in the prices of citrus fruit sold on the fresh produce markets during 2003/04 compared to 2002/03. The average prices realised on the major fresh produce markets during the period 1999/2000 to 2003/04 are as follows:
Fruit type 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
R/ton
Oranges 1 494 714 768 925 1 056
Grapefruit 903 689 921 1 206 1 518
Lemons 1 193 1 032 1 185 1 543 1 776
Naartjes 1 327 1 467 1 598 2 148 2 096
Soft citrus 997 1 142 1 236 1 480 1 706
Processing
Approximately 17,5 % of the total citrus fruit production was taken in for processing during 2003/04. During the past five years, citrus fruit taken in for processing showed an average annual decline of 2,3 %, from 417 619 tons in 1999/2000 to 346 493 tons in 2003/04.
Consumption
Per capita consumption of citrus fruit over the past five years is as follows:
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
kg/year
Per capita consumption 11,72 19,71 15,77 18,22 16,33
Vegetables (excluding potatoes) General
Vegetables are produced in most parts of the country. In certain areas, however, farmers tend to concentrate on specific crops, for example, green beans are mainly grown at Kaapmuiden, Marble Hall and Tzaneen;
green peas at George and Vaalharts; onions at Caledon, Pretoria and Brits; and asparagus at Krugersdorp and Ficksburg.
Production
During the period 2002/03 to 2003/04 (July–June), the total production of vegetables (excluding potatoes) increased by 2,3 %, from 2 082 000 to 2 130 000 tons. The largest percentage increase occurred in the case of carrot production: 15,7 %, from 115 000 to 133 000 tons. Green mealie, onion and pumpkin production increased by 9,2, 6, and 4,7 %, respectively. The production of tomatoes decreased by 9,8 %, while the pro- duction of cabbages remained unchanged.
The production of vegetables (excluding potatoes) in South Africa for the period 1999/2000 to 2002/03 com- pares as follows:
Year 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
'000 tons
Tomatoes 405 486 420 438 395
Onions 329 323 335 355 378
Green mealies 299 298 295 294 321
Cabbages 190 195 176 176 176
Pumpkins 201 210 210 214 224
Carrots 97 101 102 115 133
Other 457 475 466 481 503
Total 1 978 2 088 2 004 2 073 2 130
Relative importance of major vegetable types
The relative importance of the major vegetable types, according to gross value of production during the 12 months up to 30 June 2004, is depicted by the following graph:
Relative importance of major vegetable types, based on gross value of production:
2003/04
Onions 17 %
Tomatoes 23 %
Carrots 4 %
Cabbages 3 % Pumpkins 5 %
Green beans 4 % Green mealies
44 %
Distribution channels
As depicted in the following graph, approximately 52 % of the volume of vegetables produced, is traded on the major fresh produce markets. The total volume of vegetables (excluding potatoes) sold during 2003/04 amount- ed to 1 097 000 tons, while 1 077 000 tons were sold during 2002/03, which represents an increase of 1,9 %.
Distribution channels of vegetables 2003/04
Exports 3 %
Processing 11 % Fresh produce
markets 52 %
Direct sales and ow n consumption
34 %
The values of sales of vegetables (excluding potatoes) on the South African fresh produce markets for the period 1999/2000 to 2003/04 are as follows:
Year 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
R'000
Tomatoes 447 686 400 733 486 007 584 993 632 921
Onions 267 824 334 689 354 637 419 878 412 818
Green mealies 10 726 10 016 11 743 15 027 17 203
Cabbages 71 623 60 379 83 117 101 027 98 821
Pumpkins 43 990 46 212 53 225 53 122 52 364
Carrots 67 292 63 758 84 542 106 005 107 844
Other 1 385 268 1 406 158 1 678 321 1 897 847 2 302 481
Total 2 294 409 2 321 945 2 751 592 3 177 899 3 624 452
The value of green mealies increased by about 14,5 % from 2002/03 to 2003/04, tomatoes with 8,2 % and car- rots with 1,7 %. The value of pumpkins, cabbages and onions decreased by 1,4, 2,2, and 1,7 %, respectively.
Prices
The average prices of vegetables realised on the fresh produce markets from 1999/2000 to 2003/04 were as follows:
Year 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
R/ton
Tomatoes 1 827,19 1 614,67 2 071,31 2 471,88 2 851,32
Onions 927,95 1 458,96 1 469,06 1 672,56 1 558,42
Green mealies 2 957,25 3 250,38 4 073,22 6 025,39 6 000,21
Cabbages 438,65 374,77 562,166 683,77 681,18
Pumpkins 756,39 747,09 877,79 1 032,03 775,69
Carrots 1 056,35 927,23 1 255,62 1 321,30 1 214,57
Other 1 159,07 1 183,38 1 1426,14 2 168,72 2 243,32
The price of tomatoes showed the largest increase of about 15,3 % from 2002/03 to 2003/04, whereas the prices of green mealies decreased by 0,4 % and the prices of pumpkins, carrots, onions and cabbages decreased by 24,8, 8,1, 6,8 and 0,4 %, respectively.
Monthly average volumes sold and average prices realised for all vegetables traded on the fresh produce markets
July 2003 to June 2004
1 000 1 200 1 400 1 600 1 800 2 000 2 200
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Month
R/ton
120 000 130 000 140 000 150 000 160 000 170 000 180 000
Tons
Volume Price
Consumption
The importance of vegetables in a healthy diet is being strongly promoted by all the stakeholders in the fresh produce marketing chain. The per capita consumption of fresh vegetables was 37,51 kg during 2003/04—
approximately 6,2 % lower than the 40,00 kg during 2002/03.
Tomatoes Area planted
Tomato plantings for the 2004 season are estimated at 6 200 ha. This is an 8,71 % increase compared to the area planted during 2003. The northern Lowveld of the Limpopo Province is the major production area with 3 100 ha, which is 50 % of the total area planted to tomatoes. Other important regions in terms of hectares under cultivation are the Onderberg area of the Mpumalanga Province with 550 ha and the Border area in the Eastern Cape, with 450 ha. Tunnel production, an important method in South Africa, is still on the increase.
Areas planted to tomatoes: 2004
0 500 1 000 1 500 2 000 2 500 3 000 3 500
Limpopo
Mpumaganga
N. Cape and
FreeState
E.Cape
KwaZulu-Natal North
West
W.Cape
Province
Hectares
Production
Production during 2004 is estimated at 384 400 tons. The northern Lowveld and far northern areas in the Limpopo Province could be expected to produce 186 000 and 38 500 tons respectively, followed by the Border area in the Eastern Cape, with 36 000 tons. The Onderberg region in the Mpumalanga Province showed a
Tomato sales on the major fresh produce markets 2003/04
Other markets
26 % Durban
7 %
Cape Tow n 11 % Pretoria
16 %
Johannesburg 40 %
Monthly sales and prices of tomatoes on major fresh produce markets 2003/04
0 5 000 10 000 15 000 20 000 25 000
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Month
Tons
1 000 1 500 2 000 2 500 3 000 3 500 4 000 4 500
R/ton
Sales Price
remarkable increase in tomato production, from 15 000 tons in 2001 to 27500 tons in 2003. This can be attrib- uted to an increase in the area planted from 300 to 550 ha. However, from 2003 to 2004 there was no increase in the production of tomatoes in Mpumalanga.
Sales
The quantities sold on the major fresh produce markets increased by 54 %, from 235 387 tons during 2002/03 to 435 764 tons during 2003/04.
Prices
The average price of tomatoes increased by 37,7 %, from R2 071/ton during 2002/03 to R2 851/ton in 2003/04. Tomatoes are subject to large seasonal price fluctuations, which means that there is a high price risk involved for producers.
Consumption
The per capita consumption of tomatoes in South Africa is 12,5 kg per annum, compared to 32 kg in Europe.
Population growth, urbanisation, per capita income and the income elasticity of demand are important factors influencing the demand for tomatoes. The average household in South Africa consumes between five and ten tomatoes per week.
Exports
The volume of tomatoes exported decreased dramatically by 32,2 % in 2002 to 7 025 tons, after which it increased by 6 % in 2003 to 7 472 tons.
Research
Research in the tomato industry is undertaken in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council, which has found several remedies for different tomato diseases.
International perspective
The area planted to and production of tomatoes in the world stayed fairly constant over the past six years.
China is the largest producer of tomatoes, followed by the USA, Italy and Turkey. These four countries rep- resent close to 50 % of world production. The tomato-producing countries with the highest yields per hectare are the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden.
Onions Production
Onions are produced in almost all the provinces of South Africa. Approximately 375 707 tons of onions were produced during the 2003/04 season (July to June)compared to the production of 355 635 tons during the pre- vious season. The industry has experienced a steady increase in production since the 2000/01 season.
Production and value of onions: 1999/2000–2003/04
150 200 250 300 350 400
1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
Year
'000tons
200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550
R'million
Production Gross value
Sales
The fresh produce markets remain an important marketing channel for onions. Approximately 70 % of the total production during the 2003/04 season was sold on fresh produce arkets, compared to 71 % the previous sea- son, while 10 % was exported. The remainder comprises own consumption, direct sales to supermarkets and chain stores and sales to processing factories. During the period 1998/99 to 2002/03, the sales of onions on the fresh produce markets decreased by an annual average rate of 1,1%, from 262 401 to 250 373 tons.
Distribution of the onion crop: 2003/04
Sales on fresh produce markets
71 %
Exports 10 %
Production for ow n use 18 % Processing
1 %